Who were you? Natalya didn't even know your name, and yet she already despised you. You dared to sit next to Ivan during the World Meeting, an offense she could hardly stand. It should've been her in that seat; you had some nerve, even breathing the same air as him. And when Ivan leaned in to whisper to you, Natalya was sure she saw red. She couldn't let you bewitch her big brother!

Naturally, she started to stalk you, just as she did Ivan's other friends. Natalya always kept her eye on you—she'd hide in bushes, perch on trees, and even scale buildings just to get a closer look. Soon she'd find enough dirt to run home and tell her brother how horrible you were.

…But that time never came. Natalya had spent weeks observing you despite her growing fatigue. She almost envied how lively your life was compared to hers. Before long, she could think of nothing other than you. Somewhere along the way, her obsession had bloomed into an odd affection. She denied the warmth inside her chest until it was too much to bear.

---

Your first encounter with her was a strange one. Right before sunrise, you heard someone frantically ringing your doorbell. You went over and opened the door to find Natalya standing there with a bouquet of flowers. She practically shoved them in your face, too ashamed to make eye contact.

"We… should get married," she spluttered.

You stared blankly at her, then smiled. "Sure! Would you mind taking a step back, though?"

Natalya obliged. Wasn't that neat? As a reward, you graciously slammed the door in her face.

She stood frozen for a moment, her grip tightening around the bouquet. Your rejection did sting, yes—but your "sure" was all she needed to keep going.

After that, she made it her mission to never leave you alone. Each day she'd show up to pound at your door for hours. When that failed, she smashed your windows in. Sometimes you'd return and see Natalya sitting on your couch as if she lived there. You tried to ignore her antics. Most normal people would have called the police by now, but Natalya was pretty enough to earn your grace. Eventually your indifference emboldened her to assume she was your girlfriend (though you never agreed to be hers).

Whenever you talked to her, you were sweet enough to feed her delusions. Sweet enough to keep her satisfied. Nothing else mattered as long as you belonged to her.

---

Natalya peeked past the living room door, staring at the entrance with wide eyes. It was late in the afternoon, and you still weren't home. She'd grown restless waiting for you, but assured herself all would be fine once you arrived. After what felt like hours, you finally entered the house. Natalya's breath hitched when she saw you. What she didn't expect was for you to head upstairs without a word.

Her fingers dug into the doorframe. Was that the best you could offer after all her patience? Natalya fell to her knees, one hand clutching her aching chest. Those old memories of hatred flashed through her mind. You must've hated her too—why else would you humiliate her so?

With that, Natalya hurried to her feet and stormed out of your house, desperate not to let her tears fall.

…

Later that night, there was more commotion at your door than ever before. You rolled out of bed and rushed downstairs. Natalya's outbursts did not frighten you; you'd grown used to them. This time, however, what you saw outside made you pause.

Natalya sat on your steps, face in her hands as she wailed her heart out. Was that really the Natalya you knew? Watching her cry unnerved you. In your mind, she was too fierce for that. Now you weren't sure what to do with her. But it'd be cruel to leave her alone.

You stepped outside to sit beside her, placing a gentle hand on her back. She recoiled and turned to glare at you with tearful eyes.

"Don't touch me," Natalya hissed.

Ouch. You pulled your hand away and whispered, "Okay, what's the matter now?"

"I hate you," she croaked. "Why won't you marry me?"